As part of their ongoing work supported by FORHP’s Policy Research Division, the North Carolina Rural Health Research Program is tracking conversions to Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs), a new type of healthcare provider. Created by Congress in response to the growing number of rural hospital closures, the REH is meant to maintain emergency service and outpatient care in rural communities. The REH provider type is a designation that comes with a new payment system under Medicare. Based on data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 14 hospitals have converted to be REHs as of October 17, 2023. The Hospital State Division at FORHP funds a technical assistance center to provide support to hospitals considering conversion to an REH. Subject matter experts at the center provide no-cost technical assistance for hospitals considering a conversion, helping hospital leadership teams assess the pros and cons of making the change from traditional services.
